Roberts blames Golding ... Says he is willing to walk away

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Patrick Roberts, president of Arnett Gardens FC admitted that salaries owed to the senior team players has played a role in their dip in form in the last five Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) games and has bashed Member of Parliament Mark Golding for a lack of support.

Roberts has also stated that he is willing to walk away from club, if that is in it's best interest.

Having suffered a big 5-1 loss to RSPL leaders Portmore United last Sunday at Prison Oval, which was Arnett's first defeat of the season, reports resurfaced that the players are not happy.

Before that loss, the reigning champions had drawn four consecutive games and picked up only four of a possible 15 points from the last five encounters.

After picking up six wins and five draw in the first round, the Trench Town-based club has struggled a bit in the second round with three wins and five draws from nine games to be on 37 points in second position behind Portmore United, who are on 44 points.

POOR PERFORMANCE

"The players are disenchanted, they are not motivated. It is obvious that the situation has led to poor performances from the team in recent games," Roberts told STAR Sports earlier this week.

However, Roberts blamed a lack of financial support from the new Member of Parliament (MP), Mark Golding for the club's financial crisis.

Former MP, Omar Davies resigned last July and Golding took over during a by-election last September as the People's National Party's MP for South St Andrew.

"Again, and I have always consistently stated that the club has a financial crisis and it is not unique to Arnett. We are trying to pay the players. They got a percentage of their salary in November. we owed them between 30 to 40 percent in November. And, we have not paid them for December as yet," Roberts said.

"The former MP (Omar Davies), used his clout in the past to solicit funds for the club. The club is not owned by Patrick Roberts, Richard 'Charlie Chaplin' Bennett or George Phang, it is owned by the community. And, it is the onus of the MP also to help with the running of the club," The president pointed out.

"There has been no help from the new MP, no help absolutely from the season started in September. I have tried to reach out to the MP and he has not responded," Roberts added.

Roberts said, he is willing to walk away from his top position in the best interest of the club.

"I, Patrick Roberts, president of Arnett Gardens FC for the past 17 years. I have no difficulty right now to walk away, in the interest of Arnett Gardens FC," he concluded.